Opera-glass and handle therefor



2 Sheets-Shed; 1.

Y d Inge/2771; 'ww 444 27 Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

OPERA GLASSES AND HANDLE'THEREPOR.

J. MURPHY, O. P. ENGWALL 8v 0. A; TIDEN.

. (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. 5T1 DEN.

(No Model.) w I J. MURPHY, 0, P; ENGWALL 8v 0.

OPERA GLASSESAND HANDLE THEREFOR. No. 544,643.

Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

M 04cm. 7: 4 65% 9.7M

um a r v W NkrVll/fr/ w UNITED STATES A-TENT CFFICE.

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

OPERA-GLASS AND HANDLE THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,643, dated August 13, 1895. 6 Application filed March 20, 1895. Serial No. 542,505- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern? I r 7 Be it known that we, JEREMIAH MURPHY, OSCAR F. ENGWALL, and CHARLES A. TIDEN, residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Opera- Glasses and Handles Therefor, of which this specification is a full and complete description, when taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, sutiicient to enable those skilled in the art to understand, make, and use the same.

The'invention relates to opera-glasses hav- .ing holders attached thereto, such holder having mechanism mounted therein, which may be actuated by the thumb and forefinger of the hand grasping the handle of the holder, and such mechanism connected to the focusable suchglass' to be focused thereby; and

the nature of the invention consists in the. constructions hereinafter particularly set forth, with the arrangement and combination of such constructions and the opera-glass and the focusing apparatus of such opera-glass.

The object of the invention is to obtain an opera-glass having a. three-part holder, one of such parts being rigidly secured to the operaglass frame, another of such parts removably or adjustably, as preferred, secured to the first-named and rigidly-secured part, and the remaining part of the holder adjustably'secured to the part adjacent thereto, and all of the several parts of the holder having mechanism therein whereby, when the holder is in position to use, the opera-glass may be focused by the thumb and forefinger of the hand grasping the handle of the holder.

In the drawings referred to as accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the barrels of an opera-glass with the bars connecting the barrels shown in cross-section, and such operaglass having a holder embodying'this invention attached thereto and in position for use; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Figs. 3 and 4, perspective views, respectively, of mechanism rotatably mounted in one and the middle part or portion of the holder, forming, when so mounted, a rotatable spindle; Fig. 5, a perspective view of one end of the part or portion of the holder designed to be grasped by the hand of the person using the opera-glass and of a rotatable spindle therein; Fig. 6, a perspective view of a spring contained in the part or portion of the holder which is rigidly secured to the frame of the opera-glass; and Fig. 7 a perspective view of the end of one of the parts of the holder which abuts against the spring illustrated in Fig. 6 when the holder is in position for use, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig.'8 .isan elevation of a modified construction of the device embodying the invention in one of the details thereof,and Fig. 9 is an elevation of such modified construction in position to be placed with the opera-glass inthe case thereof. Fig. 10 1s a central longitudinal section of a holder and a part of the opera-glass embodying'this invention, with the part of the holder ad acent and secured to the frame of the opera-glass connected to the middle part of the holder by difierent means from which the same are connected in such Fig. 2, and showing the frame extending between the bars connecting the barrels constructed of a tube, and with a tubular bar having a geared rack thereon extending into such tubular frame. Fig. 11 is an end view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 10 on the line 11 11 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is ahorizontal cross-sectional view of the tubular frame illustrated in Fig. 10, and a bottom plan view, looking up, of the tubular bar and rack extending into such tubular frame, as indicated by line 12 12 of Fig. 10,

and the arrows crossing such line. Fig. 13

is a perspective view of the inner bar and gear-rack, forming an element in the construction illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, and 12.

A letterof reference applied to a given part is used to designate such part wherever the sameappears throughout the several figures of the drawings.

A is an opera-glass.

do are bars connecting the barrels of the opera-glass together.

A is a frame, either tubular or othershape,

as preferred, extending between bars a a and secured to such bars. This frame A has been heretofore secured in position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and

for the purpose for which such frame is there placed by us and we do not therefore claim, broadly, the frame or the bar A fitting thereinto, or the pinion engaging with the geared 5 rack on bar or frame A but particular attention is directed to the tubular frame illus-- trated in Figs. 10, 11,and 12, and the tubular bar and rack extending thereinto, as such construction is by us considered to be both IO novel and useful and of good mechanical arrangement, and supplies means whereby the several inventions pertaining to the attachment of a holder to an opera-glass (and herein described) maybe placed in such opera-glass :5 when the same is first constructed, and may also be placed in an opera-glass heretofore constructed and having the ordinary means of focusing the same attached thereto as a A is a pinion rotatably mounted in frame l A, the teeth of such pinion intermeshing wi-th corresponding teeth A on gear-rack a ed in part of the holder.

of bar A a is the stem of pinion A. Stem a has a squared hole in the end thereof when the part 0 is made detachable from the part D; but when such part is merely adjustable, as will be hereinafter described, in relation thereto, 0 there is no need of more than thegrooves A 'Fig. 10, thereon. In any event the end of stein a is made to rotatably engage witli the spindle in the part 0 of the handle and bolder.

a are grooves on the spindle in part 0 corre- 4 5 spondin g with and engaging with grooves A B is the handle of the holder. 0 is the part of the holder intermediate between the handle B and part D.

D is the part of the holder which is rigidly 5c secured to frame A.

A is a washer secured to frame or bar a E is acommon coil-spring in part; D, around the pinion stem a and in position to receive the end-thrust resulting from the end ofpart O of the holder abutting against it and compressing thecoils (oneor more) of such spring when the holder is brought into position for use,

D D are slots in that end of part of the 3o holder which extends over part 0 when part- 6 is made detachable from. part I), and the construction preferred by us is adopted, for joining such separable parts.

0 C are pins or stops on part 0 arranged 35 to fit into slots D D respectively; a

d is the part or portion of the slots D" D extending peripherally around such part 0,

firmly in place with relation to the operaglass.

F is ahingejoining parts B and 0 together, and F, Fig. 2, is a catch secured to part G and engaging with abutment f in part B of same axial line.

C is a recess in part B', into which recess pin or stop 0' extends when part B is folded up against part 0, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To so dispose the several mechanisms contained in the holder, and by means of which the opera-glass is focused, as hereinbefore described, that the part B can be folded over on the part0 and thepart C can be separated i from part D or folded th ereover, we'have con stru'cted such mechanism and arranged and combined the same: as follows:

b b are openings in the handle B, and G is a thumbkwheel on shaft g, rotatably mounted in such handle 13 so as to come adjacent to the openings b b, so that it may be actuated therethrough.

g" g are grooves extending across the end of shaft g. j

H H areshaf ts or spindles rotatably mount- H is constructed, preferably, as follows: Spindle h, having hole hi and slots k 71. at one end thereof and annular groove h and squared end h at the other end thereof. end h of the shaft H is arranged to enter the sqiu'a're'd hole in the stem at, as is well illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The pin or width of the annular groove h Shaft H preferably consists of aspindle having annu- Y lar groove k and end h with abu-tments h 11 thereon and with spring h? mounted thereon so as to abut at one end thereof against the shoulder formed by the part 71.", being of less diameter than the remaining part of such shaft H and at the other end thereof against Y theendof part H whenparts H H" are mounted inthe part 0, thus tending to force parts H H longitudinally away from each other and so thatthe ends thereof shallproject beyond the en-ds ofpart C-that is,into what we term 1 an extended position. The abutments k h are arrangedto and do engage with the slots l 72. 71. respectively, so that rotation of part H produces corresponding rotation of shaft H. y

The squared" e the holder when the parts B and O are in the .stop 0 extends through the wall of part 0 and into the annular groove k thereby form- H is a pin forming an abutment in part 0, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) which extends through the annular groove if, and whereby shaft H is maintained in longitudinal position in the part 0 without being prevented from rotating freely. The annular groove is of sufficient width in relation to'the abutment formed by pin H that a limited longitudinal movement of the shaft H is permitted.

h are grooves across the end of shaft H which comes adjacent to shaft 9 of the th u mbwheel G, and such grooves intermesh with the groove or grooves g g on the end of such shaft g.

Because of the constructionof the shafts H, as last above described, the ends of such shafts are yieldingly held in an extended position by spring h as hereinbefore described, one end of such spring tending to force shaft H longitudinally outward in part 0 and the other end of such spring tending to force shaft H longitudinally outward, the movement and force of the spring being sufficient to maintain both of such shafts in their extreme outward, or longitudinally extended, position, thus obtaining, by means of the shafts or spindles H H, being longitudinally movable relative to each other and to the tube 0, a shaft or spindle in part 0, which is extendible that is, having elasticity; but when the part B is brought from the position thereof indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 into the position thereof illustrated by full lines in such figure, (and in Fig. 1,) if the grooves g g. and b it do not intermesh the shaft H will be forced back into a retracted position in the part 0 until such time when the shaft 9 has been turned sufficiently to bring the grooves into proper relation with each other so'thatsuch grooves may intermesh, at which time 'the shaft 11 will be forced into. an extended and 2,) if the squared end It is notin position with relation to the squared hole in stem a to engage therewith, such shaft will be forced back into a retracted position in part 0, until by rotation of the thumb-wheel, shaftg thereof, and shafts H H, such squared end is in position to enter such squared hole, at which time the part H will be automatically forced into such hole by the spring. h thus interrneshin g, so far as rotatable movement is concerned, with stem a Further rotation of the thumbwheel G will then rotate the pinion A and focus the opera-glass.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and.

9 the only change from the construction hereinbefore described is in the hinging of part 0 to part D, so that part 0 can be folded back,- as illustrated, without such part 0 being sep-V hinge connecting such parts when the longiin Figs. 8 and 9 is adopted,-the-part B is folded over on the part 0 of the holder with the pin or stop 0' in recess 0 such pin 0' and recess 0 being respectively so related to the pivot of the hinge joining the parts G and D together-that is, at such distance from such pivot that the pin 0 enters recess C in a way to hold the parts together from acci-. dental disarran gement-and then the parts B C are folded over (after removing from off the pivot-hinge the sleeve J) and the opera-glass can be placed in its case.

When the construction of the frame A and A shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 is employed, they may be readily substituted for the ordinary focusing apparatus of an opera-glass.

'In this construction A is a tube correspond:

ing substantially in diameter with the tube for which it is to be substituted. A is circular in cross-section, and may consist of a tube secured at one end thereof to the bar a A? is the geared pinion on the stem a and A the geared rack engaging with such pin- 10D.

and A together. a is a bar connected at the ends thereof, respectively, to open rings A A -Bar a, as well as open rings A A has frie tional contact with the inner wall of the tube A. Open ring A is secured to A 0. and

Geared rack A is secured to or forms a part of the bar a connecting open rings A?- a are washers covering the ends, respectively, of the tube A and secured to the respective bars a a. When thesewashers a a are secured in place, the tube A is held rigidly between such bars a a; but when such washers are not secured to the respective bars the tube can be slid first out of one bar and then out of the other.

To substitute this apparatus for the ord inary focusing apparatus it is merely necessary to remove the tube, thumb-wheel, and connecting parts of such ordinary focusing apparatus and replace such tube with the tube A and connecting parts just described, and then securethe washers a a in place on bars a a To use the holder, parts B and C are brought into axial line and the catch between such parts brought into engagement, and part D is joined to part 0 in like position. The turning of the thumb-wheel will then turn the pinion A and focus the glass. The manner of turning the thumb-wheel is thesame as in other opera-glass holders wherein a thumbwheel is placed midway of the length of the holder, and such thumb-wheel-is connected to the focusing apparatus of the opera-glass by the rotatable shafts in the handle, as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the three part holder one of such parts rigidly secured to the opera glass frame, one of the parts removably secured to the first named part, and the remaining part forming the handle adjustably secured to the second named part, with mechanism rotatably mounted in the several parts whereby the opera glass can be focused by the thumb and forefinger of the h and grasping the handle part of the holder; substantially as described.

2. The combination of a three partholder, one of such parts rigidly secured to the opera glass, a second part removably secured to the first named part, and a third part, forming a handle to the holder, adjustably secured to the second named part, with a spindle rotatably mounted in the first named part, a pinion on the spindle engaging with a corresponding rack of the focusing mechanism of the opera glass, a spindle rotatably mounted in the second named part, the ends of such spindle being respectively yieldingly held in an extended position, and a thumb wheel in the handle part of the holder, the intermediate spindle arranged to engage with the spindle of the thumb wheel and the spindle of the pinion, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an opera glass of a three part holder, one of such parts secured to the opera glass, the adjacent part adj ustably secured to the first named part, and the remaining part adjustably secured to the second named part, with mechanism rotatably mounted in the several parts whereby the opera glass can be-focused by turning a thumb wheel in the last named part and adjacent to the second named part by the thumb and forefinger of the hand grasping the third named part; substantially as described.

4. The combination with an opera glass of a holder consisting of a tube secured to the frame of the opera glass, a spindle rotatably mounted therein, a pinion on the spindle engaging with a rack, a rack secured to the bar connecting the tubes of the opera glass, a tube connecting with the first named tube, spindles rotatably mounted in the second named tube, such spindles engaging rotatably with each other and being independently longitudinally movable in the tube, means 'for yieldingly holding the spindles in an extended position relative to the tube, and a handle connecting with the second named tube, with a spindle havinga thumb wheel thereon mounted in such handle, all of such spindles being rotatably connected when the several parts of the holder are in an operative position; substantially as described.

5. In a three part opera-glass holder, the combination of a thumb wheel rotatably mounted in the handle part of the holder, a spindle rotatably mounted in the part of the holder adjacent tothe handle part, such spindle consisting of two shafts connected together so as to rotate in unison and to move longitudinally independently of each other, a spring yieldingly holding both of such shafts in an extended position, and a spindle mounted in the remaining partof the holder; and all of such spindles coming in contact at the ends thereof when the holder is in position for use and engaging so as to rotate in unison 5 substantially as described.

JEREMIAH MURPHY. OSCAR F. ENGWALL. CHARLES A. TIDEN. In presence of-- J. W. KENEVEL, CHARLES TURNER BROWN. 

